FORAGE. 



65 



" ' To make one toa of meal. 



Locust Bean, finely ground, at £6 a ton 



Indian Com at £7 a ton 



Best Linseed Cake at £10 a ton . 



Powdex'ed Turmeric at 8d. a lb. . 



Sulphur at 2d. a lb. 



Saltpetre at 5(/. a lb. 



Liquorice at Is. a lb. 



Ginger at Qd. per lb. 



Aniseed at Qd. a lb. 



Coriander at 9d. a lb. 



Gentian at Sd. a lb. 



Cream of Tartar at I*'. Sd. a lb. 



Carbonate of Soda at id. a lb. 



Levigated Antimony at Gd. a lb. 



Common Salt at ^d. a lb. 



Peruvian Bark at 4s. a lb. 



Fenugreek at 9c/. a lb. 



Total . 



cwt. qrs. lbs. 



6 



y 



3 

 ■10 

 40 

 20 

 27 

 3 

 4 

 10 

 10 



6 

 6 



30 

 4 



09 



1 



£ s. d. 



1 16 



;j 3 



1 10 



1 6 8 



6 8 

 8 4 



7 



1 6 

 3 

 7 6 

 6 S 

 3 4 



2 



3 

 1 3 



16 



16 6 



. 20 12 18 5 



I 



" ' Looking at this composition, it will be evident at a glance that the 

 chief ingredients are the ordinaiy commercial locust-bean, Indian corn, 

 and oil-cakes. 



" ' These form its bulk, and constitute nine tenths of the whole, the 

 remainder being made up of condiments and stimulants, the sulphur 

 and antimony being intended to act upon the skin in the production of a 

 fine coat, and the fenugreek for a kind of mucilage to prevent any ill 

 effects that might arise from the stimulating character of the food. 



" ' These ingredient-s have no doubt been selected with skill, and an 

 animal may be expected, and not unreasonably, to thrive upon such 

 savoury substances. For this precious article (which it unquestionably 

 is) the modest sum of about 42-5. a cwt. is demanded, or at the rate of £42 

 a ton, or upv.ards of 300 per cent, on the cost pi'ice, even taken at the 

 valuation given above, Avhich for the one tenth or stimulating portion 

 might be considerably reduced, if the several materials were bought at 

 wholesale prices. 



" ' We prefer, however, to take the ordinaiy trade valuation, in order 

 to give the widest margin possible for the cost — this, after all, being the 

 simple point at issue. If a farmer wishes for the article, the use of 

 which, containing as it does so much stimulating matter, is xqyx question- 

 able, and chooses to pay from three to four times the intrinsic value, it 

 is of course at his option to do so ; but as the whole question of farming 

 is one of paying, we will put it plainly : Can it pay to feed animals on 

 substances costing from £40 to £50 per ton? A knowledge of the con- 

 stituent elements of these foods may induce a pause before the outlay is 

 made. 



